


A Facade of Normalcy

by Its_a_secre1094



Category: The Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Adventure, Assault, Fluff, Gen, Slow Burn, link and Zelda dont know how to be normal people, post calamity, the more we write the more angst we get
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-10-04 00:22:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17294111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Its_a_secre1094/pseuds/Its_a_secre1094
Summary: She had opened up to him, bearing the deepest burdens of her soul. He felt relieved that she had finally trusted him. It was his duty to make sure that she was well, not just in physical health, but mental health as well. Upon his previous excursions to the castle, he may or may not have delved into her diary, and was pleased to find that he had managed to open up to her as well. The fact that he was a sucker for a good meal had never been forgotten, but it was interesting to find out why his former self had been so closed off. He didn’t really speak much now, he supposed, but the pressures laid upon his shoulders 100 years ago were so great, it made sense that it would shut him down. Nowadays, he certainly had pressures to weigh him down, but if Link was to be honest, the King, all of the Royal rules and regulations, pomp and nonsense made him much more anxious than the thought of going head to snout with Calamity Ganon.He was broken out of his memorial at the thought.Time to go.





	1. Tidying Up

A puff of dust rose into the air as Link ran the broom across the wood panels of his sweet little cottage. His face crinkled up as he felt the oncoming prickles of a sneeze and he paused, nose up in the air, mouth oddly ajar and waited. He resumed his sweeping with a grumble when the sneeze didn’t come, trying to gently coax the dirt and dust towards the open door and out of his very humble abode. 

An hour passed and his home had been cleaned to the best of his ability. His bed had been made, dishes put away, floor swept and mopped, laundry washed and hung out to dry — he had even picked new flowers from his yard to fill the vase on the dinner table. He now sat at his desk, polishing the Master Sword for the umpteenth time. His skin felt sticky from the humidity...or was it his nervous sweat? He couldn’t tell, but as he slid the sword back into its scabbard, he chewed his bottom lip. He’d felt uncomfortable all morning, trying to come to terms with the decision he’d made upon his wake. 

Today was the day. He was going to the Castle. He was going to fight Ganon. He was going to bring his princess home. See, that right there was the real ticker. The princess. His princess. He was going to go storm that castle, save her, then bring her here, back to his tiny little house in this tiny little village. 

He gulped. 

What if she didn’t like it? It’s so small, it’s basically nothing compared to her massive castle. That’s now in ruins, he thought sourly. No, no. Maybe sometime in the future he could cash in some of his amassment of precious gems and expand, but for now this would have to do. As insignificant as it may seem to royalty, this was his home. 

He flipped through the Sheikah slate that lay on his desk, giving a thorough check to his inventory. All of weapons were stocked with the highest quality, he had his Champion tunic and Diamond circlet laid out on his bed and he had plenty of food and elixirs at the ready. With a hard swallow, he stood and began to dress himself. Everything was prepared for his fight and everything was ready for her arrival. He had even dusted for her this time, which was one time more than he had ever done before. 

As he pulled his tunic over his head, he caught sight of the picture that Kass had given him in Washa’s Bluff. His lips curled into a small sideways grin. All of the exaggerated looks of shock on his friends’ faces stared back at him. Yes, even though Revali was an exceedingly large asshole at most times, Link still considered him his friend. Or at least an ally. They all fought for the same goal, in life and death. He grimaced as the thought crossed his mind. Even as his friends (and ally) had passed, they still fought in their spirit form. They aided him and stood ready to face the beast with him until the very end. 

His eyes traveled to the girl in the middle of the picture, her beautiful wide eyes full of surprise. He desperately wanted to remember more of her. All he had were the bits and pieces that she had left him on the slate, which he was grateful for. Yet, it was all he had of his old life. He clung to those memories for dear life, replaying them in his head every day, sometimes multiple times a day in the hope that it would spark another. No more memories came, however, so he was left guessing at the man he used to be. He often wondered how his relationship with the princess had progressed. She had obviously despised him in the beginning, but somewhere on the timeline of his memories — seemingly around the time he had saved her from the Yiga Clan— her attitude towards him had shifted. She had opened up to him, bearing the deepest burdens of her soul. He felt relieved that she had finally trusted him. It was his duty to make sure that she was well, not just in physical health, but mental health as well. Upon his previous excursions to the castle, he may or may not have delved into her diary, and was pleased to find that he had managed to open up to her as well. The fact that he was a sucker for a good meal had never been forgotten, but it was interesting to find out why his former self had been so closed off. He didn’t really speak much now, he supposed, but the pressures laid upon his shoulders 100 years ago were so great, it made sense that it would shut him down. Nowadays, he certainly had pressures to weigh him down, but if Link was to be honest, the King, all of the Royal rules and regulations, pomp and nonsense made him much more anxious than the thought of going head to snout with Calamity Ganon. 

He was broken out of his memorial at the thought. Time to go. He let out a deep breath and secured his dirty blond locks behind his head with a band. He grabbed his weapons, flipped up his hood and made his way down the stairs. As he opened the door and made to leave, he gave his sweet home a once over. Everything was clean and in order, ready for her arrival. Except he still had this nagging feeling lingering around him. What if he truly wasn’t prepared to fight? He certainly had all his weapons, passed all his trials, obtained the sword’s true power and even—

“Achoo!” The strength of the sneeze caught him off guard, but he inwardly chuckled as that nagging feeling started to resolve. 

Now he was ready. 

——————————

 

Calamity Ganon was gone, sealed away for another hero and princess in another time. Princess Zelda stood before him in her white prayer dress, exactly as he had left her. It was stained with mud and streaks of his old blood, her face as well. However, her hair stayed as golden and radiant as the Goddesses themselves and her eyes shone brightly, a certain exhaustion mixed with a new relief at her long awaited freedom. Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke softly to him. If he were to be honest, he didn’t hear most of what she’d said. Even if his ears hadn’t been ringing and his mind swimming with post-battle insanity, he was sure he couldn’t hear anything past his heart hammering against his ribs. She was here, alive, real. Her lips suddenly twitched into a small frown and her hands unclasped from their place on her chest. 

“Link?” He finally snapped to life as her sweet voice pierced through the fog in his mind. She tried again as his eyes finally focused on her own. It was quiet and timid, yet he felt it dig right into his soul. It dripped with the tones of the Goddess Hylia and the sound was like no other comfort he had ever experienced. “Do you remember me?”

He felt as though he had suddenly been lit on fire. A large array of feelings tore through him -among those he noticed relief, guilt, adoration and a strange sense of attraction- but the one that stood out the most was disappointment. Not in anyone except himself, of course. He had hoped that maybe, just maybe, when he saw her, everything would come back. Yet, she stood before him, desperate eyes pleading for him to answer her, and he knew nothing more than when he walked through the doors of the Sanctum. 

He must have been silent with his internal struggle for a while, because her beautiful emerald eyes dropped to the grass at their feet and her thin arms crossed over her middle. He felt a sudden chill as her eyes fell away from him, like her gaze had been keeping him warm. Then he felt a strong pang of guilt as she sucked in a shaky breath. 

“I...” He started. Her eyes flicked back to his with earnest and he withered a little. “I don’t remember everything. I have pieces...”

That much was true, at least. While he didn’t remember all of their time together, he did have enough to remember who she was and that she meant a great deal to him. She seemed to perk up a little at his reply, encouraging him to keep going. 

“I only have the memories attached to the pictures you left for me. I tried, Princess...tried so hard to remember more.” He stepped closer as he explained and gently took her hand in his. The triangular symbol still blazed off of her skin and he could feel the goddess given magic flowing through her veins. It was an all encompassing warmth that soaked through to his very soul. Suddenly overwhelmed with her presence, he dropped down to a knightly kneel, then peered up at her through his disheveled bangs. “Forgive me, Your Highness.” 

“Oh, Link.” She whispered, those beautiful eyes glistening like diamonds. She sank down onto her knees to as well, her hands slipping out of his grasp to rest on his cheeks. “You’ve nothing to apologize for.”

“I left you alone.” Link felt his throat constrict as he tried to suppress a round of tears. He was not one to show emotion easily, but after fighting so long, he barely had enough strength to hold his head up. The walls that he had put up for so long no longer existed and he found he did not have the will to hide anymore. “I failed you...and you had to face Ganon alone...”

“No, you fulfilled your duties. You protected me with your life and you came back to rescue me and vanquish Calamity Ganon.” Her voice was low, but firm as she wiped a tear from his cheek. “You have failed no one. It is because of you that Hyrule is saved, that I am free. Our land and it’s people can now start to heal and we owe you every ounce of gratitude.”

Link had no words. After making this woman wait more than a century for him to come back to her, she only thanked him and assured him of his triumphs. Oh Hylia, how he didn’t deserve her. As more tears began to fall, she pulled him close. He buried his forehead into the crook of her neck, grasping onto her waist tightly. He was afraid that if he didn’t hold on to her, she would disappear again. She rested her head against his own and with a small smile, she whispered into his ear. “And please, call me Zelda.”


	2. Sleepy time

It was the middle of the night and the pair was very near passing out from exhaustion as they rode up a Stone pathway. He hadn’t told her where they were going and she didn’t ask. They had stayed on the grass in Hyrule field until the first signs of sundown and Link thought it best to get on the road before it got too late. The Calamity was gone, but there were certainly other dangers to staying out in the open at night. 

“Where are we?” Zelda mumbled sleepily as Epona crossed a wooden bridge, looking over her shoulder to peer up at Link’s equally tired gaze. She leaned back against his chest, hugging his Hylian hood around her shoulders. The night air brought a chill and now that her magic was beginning to fade, she didn’t have as much internal warmth. Fatigue had really caught up to the both of them and Link was grateful that they were almost home. He wearily grinned down at her as he adjusted his grip on the reins and the other arm around Zelda’s waist for balance. They were approaching a small, unfamiliar house. 

“Hateno Village.” Link dismounted first as they arrived, closing the gate to the bridge so Epona could free graze as she pleased. He led his beloved mare closer to the house and reached up to the Princess, holding out his hand to help her down. She smiled and took it, carefully swinging her leg over so as not to open up the bottom of her dress too much. Just as she started to lower her leg, she began to slide off of the side of Epona and fell onto Link with a hard thud and a squeal. Despite their exhausted state, he caught her without hesitation and held onto her long after she had steadied herself on her feet. She looked up at him sheepishly, a silent apology in her tired eyes but he merely smiled and took her hand once again. 

As he led her inside, she was very quiet. Her hand went slack in his as her eyes scanned across the small features of his house and she stepped forward out of his grasp. His anxiety heightened at her prolonged silence. Was it insultingly little? Was she upset with him for bringing her to such a small and unworthy house? He had never known much about what was proper to offer a woman of royalty, just how to protect her and address her for her status. She was the future Queen of Hyrule. He knew that she deserved far more than he could ever give her. 

“Link...” Her voice was just above a whisper. “Is this....your home?”

She had been gazing at the weapon mounts on the wall. The prized weapons of their fallen friends and champions were hung there, glinting in the moonlight that streamed through the windows. It took a second before she would glance back at him and when he nodded he swore he thought he saw tears in her eyes.

“It’s...” She trailed off, running her fingers over the freshly cleaned dining table. “...so perfect.”

He let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding and let his features relax into a grin. 

She liked it. 

He began to remove his weaponry and kicked off his boots into the corner of the room. Zelda had moved closer to the precious relics that their fallen comrades had left behind, ever so lightly touching the jewels that twinkled off of the hilt of the Scimitar of the Seven. 

“How do you have these?” She whispered, glancing at Link as he came to stand beside her. 

“They were gifts. Tokens of their appreciation for reclaiming the Divine Beasts and free the spirits of their Champions.” He pointed to the other cases along the wall to their left. “That’s Revali’s Great Eagle Bow. It’s the most accurate and fast of the Rito crafted bows. It’s also enchanted so that it releases three arrows even though you’ve only knocked back one.” Her eyes widened with wonder as her fingers traced along the bow string. He could see her inner scientist already beginning to bloom again, despite their dire need for sleep. “To the right is Urbosa’s Daybreaker shield and in front of us is her Scimitar, Daruk’s Boulder Breaker and Mipha’s Lightscale Trident.” 

Link tried to suppress his yawn as he finished naming his friend’s weapons. He wanted to go more in depth into the stories of how he came to receive them and how the weapons themselves handled, but he couldn’t help the overwhelming gravity-like pull that his bed had over him. Zelda noticed and giggled slightly. 

“Perhaps we should get cleaned up and then get some much needed rest, Hero.” He nodded fervently and went to retrieve a bucket of water and a clean rag. 

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the bath set up yet. I figure we can get the worst of it off with this and then bathe properly when we wake.” Link’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I apologize for not being better suited for your arrival, Princess.”

Zelda melted. 

“This is perfectly fine, Link. Thank you for your kindness and hospitality.” She took the washcloth and soap from his hands, letting her fingertips graze over his a little longer than necessary. “And please remember, it’s Zelda.”

His eyes twinkled at her and he nodded. Several minutes later, she had scrubbed her arms, face and legs nearly raw. Her skin glowed pink from the friction, but she couldn’t deny the amazing feeling of being free of 100 years worth of dirt, dried blood and malice. Link had gone upstairs to prepare the bed and gather clothes for them to change into. As he came back down the stairs, she anxiously handed him the partially soiled rag. 

“Would you mind? There was a spot that I couldn’t reach...” Her request was timid, but earnest. He could tell that all she wanted was to be clean and to sleep, so he quickly obliged. He took the rag and she turned around, facing away from him. She pulled her hair over the front of her should so he could clean the middle of her back. “Don’t be afraid to really scrub, you won’t hurt me.” 

Link was grateful that she had turned away from him, as his face and ears tinged bright red. He gently scrubbed at her skin, trying to work away the dirt and grime without scraping too hard. He was also grateful for the silence, as he felt like he wouldn’t be able to form words if he opened his mouth. 

“Thank you, Link.” She mumbled quietly as he finished up, combing her fingers through her hair in an attempt to relieve some of the tangles. He noticed there was still some dirt caked on her temple, near her hairline. 

“You missed a spot.” The coarse skin of his fingertips tickled as he lifted her chin ever so slightly to see better. She watched his eyes narrow as he worked, taking care to be even more gentle with the skin around her face. When he was finished, his gaze trailed back to her, where she stared up at him with a sleepy sort of wonder. Her cheeks wore a rosy hue, though he sensed it wasn’t from scrubbing herself clean. Her lips tugged into the most delicate smile and the way she peered up at him through her eyelashes made his heart twitch with adoration. When he realized he was just awkwardly staring back at her, he cleared his throat and then offered her the upstairs to change into fresh clothes. 

He scrubbed himself down in her absence, which was no easy feat, and tied back his hair in a neater ponytail. The two of them were far from clean and he certainly didn’t smell very good, but it would have to do for the night. He grunted at the thought of doing ‘Calamity battle laundry’ and kicked their dirty clothes under the stairs. Had it not been his irreplaceable Champions tunic and her ceremonial dress, he mused that he would have just thrown them away and bought all new things. 

He climbed the stairs as he pulled his sleeping shirt over his head, a record size yawn nearly splitting his face in two. When he reached the top, he found Zelda sitting at his desk, face down in one of the many books Bolson had given him when he furnished the place. Her hair fell in a curtain around her face, but her deep breaths told him she had already fallen asleep. 

He certainly was not going to let his Princess sleep hunched over in a desk chair after fighting a pig demon for one hundred years. 

“Princess...” He nudged her gently, though she didn’t move an inch. He smoothly slipped his arms underneath her knees and behind her shoulders and carried her over to his bed, pulling the covers over top of her and moving her golden locks of hair away from her face. He found himself getting stuck staring at her once again. She certainly was radiant. Surely he had noticed her beauty a century ago. How could he not? He wondered if he had appreciated it as much as he was now. 

He had made a makeshift bed of pillows and blankets on the floor next to the bed and it was seriously calling his name. However as he moved down the the floor, he felt a soft hand close around his. 

“Stay.” She peered at him through her heavy lidded eyes and just slightly tightened her grip around his fingers. 

“Princess, are you s-“

“It’s Zelda.” She gave him a pointed look and then her eyes fell weary once more. “And yes. Please, Link. I won’t have you a stranger in your own home. There is plenty of space for the both of us and you deserve much more than some blankets on the floor. Come.” 

Link exhaled shortly and slid under the covers next to her, thinking the whole time about how would have surely been beheaded by the King himself if he had done this Pre-Calamity. However he couldn’t deny the comfort it brought him to have her safe and sound and close to him again. The heaviness of the blanket, softness of the down pillow and warmth from the woman who snuggled just a little closer into his side had quickly overwhelmed him. His heavy eyelids fell closed and soon Princess and Hero of Hyrule were fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They’re just so innocent and cute. Feedback is much appreciated :*


	3. Channeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I knowww it’s been a long time and it’s a really short chapter with like no content but 2019 is already kicking my ass. So sorry loves. R&r??

Rays of morning sunlight burst through the window, blinding Link even though his eyes were still closed. A small groan escaped him as he shifted his face away from the window. He was about to fully roll over and fall back asleep, but he soon found that he was unable to. Cracking one eye open, he peered down and nearly choked when he saw the Princess halfway on top of him, her head tucked underneath his chin and her arm wrapped tightly around his waist. Her fingers clenched the fabric of his shirt tight in her fist and her shoulders tensed up around her ears. He shifted an inch to the side and saw her eyes squeezed tightly shut, brows furrowed and full lips pursing and parting with silent words. 

“Zelda...” He prompted, touching his fingers lightly to her cheek. Instantly, she woke. She shot up, her hand placed firmly against Link’s chest and her eyes wild. Link’s breath was instantly gone as he stared into them. They were bright and shining the most brilliant gold, matching the Triforce that was blazing on the back of the hand that pressed him down onto the mattress. Her chest quickly rose and fell, almost panting in an effort to catch her breath. Her golden light illuminated the whole cottage brighter than even the sun rays that woke Link before. He had no words. He was certain he was looking the Goddess herself directly in the eye. 

 

“Hero.” She whispered, her Triforce laden hand slowly moving towards his cheek. Link was so overwhelmed, suddenly filled with so much awe and fear of the woman above him. Tears pooled in his eyes as he stared up at her. She took a deep breath and leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his. Her eyes glowed even more fierce than before and he felt like her luminous eyes pierced directly into his soul. He felt incredibly warm, his heart so full he thought it might burst. “Hero.” She whispered again. Link felt himself begin to tremble and the tears slowly slipped down his cheek. He had never experienced such a feeling. He had never been this close to his Princess, let alone the Goddess. He had never shared such an intimate moment like this with anyone in his life, past or present. He was sure of it, for the way he felt at this moment was truly unforgettable. She brought her lips up to his forehead and just before she placed the most heavenly kiss upon his skin, she whispered again. “You have fulfilled your destiny, Link. Rest. Heal. Live.”

 

As her lips touched him, he felt his entire body relax, nearly melting into the mattress. He quickly lost his battle against his fatigue, but the last second before his eyes fell closed, her lips tugged into the smallest but most beautiful smile and he had never been more at ease.

——————

When he woke again, he was alone. The room was pitch black, save for the dim blue glow of the Sheikah slate that sat on his desk. He felt oddly...good. Well rested and muscles at ease. He no longer felt the aches pangs of post-battle recovery as he usually did and he-....wait....

He was alone. 

He shot out of bed, stumbling over the pile of pillows and the Rito down blankets that lay at his feet and nearly falling down the stairs. He caught himself on the railing, eyes frantic and searching in the dark. 

“Princess?” He called, holding his breath to listen for a response. Nothing. He blindly swept his hands along the walls and railing, guiding his bare feet to each step until he stood in his living room. He felt out the door handle and swung it open, bathing the interior of the house in a soft silver glow. She was still nowhere to be found. “Zelda!” 

“Here, Link.” Her soft voice called out to him from outside and he ran to her, beelining around the side of the house and towards the pond. She stood there with her back to him, her silken hair hanging slightly disheveled around her shoulders as she gazed up at the moon. He lost all sense of protocol and nearly tackled her from behind, his arms wrapping protectively around her thin frame and dipping his head into her neck. She yelped a little in surprise and staggered from the force of his hug, yet held onto his arms as tightly as he held her. 

“Link, are you alright?” She asked him over her shoulder. He mumbled incoherently against her skin and shivered slightly in the cool night air. “What?”

“I thought you were gone.” He breathed, picking his chin up slightly, just enough to be able to speak clearly. Guilt flashed across them for a moment before she managed to turn herself around in his tight grasp. She lifted her fingers to his cheek and her lips twitched slightly into a sad smile. 

“I’m so sorry. I did not intend to scare you.” She dropped her hand from his cheek down to the fabric of his shirt, fiddling with the material between her fingers. “I...had a dream. I felt her, Link. The goddess.” 

Link perked up at this, lifting his head to look into her eyes. He saw no signs of the gold illumination that brought the heavens to his bedroom that morning, instead Zelda’s own eyes sparkled like freshly mined Luminous Stones in the moonlight. The Triforce did not shine on the back of her hand and she had no otherworldly glow about her. 

“Do you remember your dream?” His hold loosened on her ever so slightly, just enough to see more of her face. He studied her as her eyes dropped to his chest. He could see the gears turning in her mind as she tried to peace together her segmented dream. 

“Not much. I remember very bright light and warmth. It was so comforting. And I remember speaking, but it was not my voice...” She shivered slightly against the night breeze and Link instinctively tightened his grip to shield her from the cold air. 

“Zelda, I don’t believe you were dreaming...” Link spoke softly, continuing on when her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “...unless we are able to share dreams.” Her lips parted with an inaudible gasp. 

“What do you mean?”

“I tried to wake you earlier. You...your eyes were gold. You were glowing with this blinding light.” Link looked back and forth between her confused eyes, almost wishing he could see that golden dream once again. “You called me Hero and said that I had fulfilled my destiny, then told me to rest and heal. To live.” Zelda looked nearly in tears, trembling as Link had before. “I think it was her. You share her blood...I believe she spoke to me through you.” 

Zelda was quiet for a long time, trying to remember the feeling of having that warmth and light coursing through her veins. The feeling was fleeting, however, and the only warmth she could feel was from the strong arms that still wrapped around her waist, holding her protectively against any foe, real or imaginary. She looked back up at Link and wondered if she’d ever be that close to the Goddess again. Right now, she decided that she was content where she stood. 

Link, however, seemed to realize all too suddenly that he had been wrapped around his Princess for an exceedingly long time, his century old “Appointed Knight” protocol slamming into his senses with full force. His eyes widened and his cheeks grew warm with a fierce blush and he was thankful that there was only dim moonlight to light their vision. He released his arms quickly and took a step back, dropping his gaze to the dirt and swallowed hard. The pair were instantly left chilled in the absence of contact. 

“We-“ He cleared his throat, trying to sound a bit more in command of himself. “We should probably go back inside, your highness.” 

Link thought he saw a brief flash of disappointment in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced with agitation towards him. His stomach ached with the familiarity of the feeling. 

“Oh for Hylia’s sake, Link, it’s Zelda. I am no longer Hyrule’s Princess and I don’t want to be.” Her voice wasn’t raised, but was firm enough to stir his insides with a bit of dread. She turned on her heel and headed back to the front side of the house, but paused just before she rounded the corner. “All I want is to be here with you. In this house, in this village, in obscurity. I want to be with you and be Zelda and not a single thing more.”


	4. Kids say the damndest things

Link sat across from Zelda at the dining table, watching with wide eyes as the **former** Princess (as he had been so strongly corrected a few hours prior) absolutely scarfed down an omelet, four Akkala buns, two honey glazed apples and a handful of wildberries. She had mentioned after they returned inside the house that she was starving and it dawned on Link that he hadn’t eaten in about three days himself, Zelda an additional 100 years. They had slept for so long since returning to Hateno. He wondered if she remembered what food tasted like, but at the rate she was putting it away right now, he doubted that she was paying attention to flavors anyway. He was rather starving himself, but watching her eat her entire meal faster than he could blink really surprised him. That strange sense of attraction that he felt when he first saw her in Hyrule field after defeating Ganon resurfaced and he suddenly felt _very_ warm.

“My goodness…That was positively delicious!” She said, licking the sticky courser bee honey off of her fingertips. She caught Link’s blatantly staring gaze and blushed furiously, sitting back a little in her chair. She looked down at her empty plate and bread basket and then at his half full plate, then back up at him. “Why are you staring at me?”

“It seems that we have switched places.” His eyes twinkled with amusement and his lips twitched up into the smallest smirk before he resumed eating his own meal. “I don’t recall you having such a large appetite before.”

Her blush increased tenfold, but she began to smile a bit as well. “Ah, yes. Well…” She cleared her throat and her smile widened. “Times have certainly changed.”

—————

The pair had decided that it was time to reintroduce themselves a bit to society. Cabin fever had already set in for Zelda and she stated that while she truly loved Link’s home, she desperately wanted fresh air, fresh clothes, and a fresh perspective on the world she left behind. They decided they would start with groceries from the general store and visiting the tailor to have some clothes made for Zelda. In the meantime, she donned a pair of old trousers and Link’s Hylian tunic. It was a bit large on her, but was comfortable nonetheless. Her golden locks had been braided back and twisted into a bun at the base of her head, a few stray pieces framing her face. She sat by the cooking pot with an easy smile, biting on an apple from the tree by the pond while she watched her friend and former knight brush his horse. She had come to learn that he’d named her Epona, after the Hero of Legend’s horses before his time. It fit the mare very nicely, she thought.

The horse was very protective of Link. With some coaxing on Link’s part, Epona had come to accept that Zelda was not a threat to her or her master. She would let Zelda braid her mane and give her treats, but there was a certain way that she interacted with Link that Zelda knew she would never be able to earn. As if showcasing Zelda’s thoughts, Epona craned her neck around and nudged her nose to Link’s cheek, her tail whipping back and forth with glee. He chuckled and gave the newly brushed spot a pat before pressing his forehead against hers. He whispered things to her that Zelda could not hear before placing a sweet kiss to her clean coat. Zelda felt herself melt a bit at the scene, marveling at the affection Link had shown for his steed. He took a carrot out of his back pocket and held it out to her, running his hands over her neck as she carefully took it from his palm. She nickered with excitement and bowed her head at Link before trotting back into her stable. Link watched her for a second before turning to go pick his own apple from the tree and join Zelda. Her heart felt full as he held out his hand for her. She took it gently and he helped her stand.

They set off toward the rest of the village side by side, Link munching contentedly on his apple as Zelda took in everything. They had stayed in or by Link’s cottage since they returned from the castle three days ago and Zelda had nearly been asleep on the way there, so she hadn’t seen much of the village at all. News had apparently spread of Link’s return, however, for as soon as they crossed the bridge and stepped onto the main road, the hero was bombarded by a cluster of small children.

“Linky!”

“It’s Link!”

“Linny is back!”

He chuckled and dropped down to their height, tossing aside his apple core and opening his arms wide. They circled him immediately, hanging from his arms, holding around his waist and one even trying to climb on his back. The sounds of his laughter and the children’s gleeful squeals filled the air and Zelda found herself amazed once again. The man in front of her was so different than he had ever been before. Laughter was something the she had never heard from him before and it was so delightful. She wanted to hear it all time.

“Hey Linky, who is that lady with you?” The boy who had climbed up his back asked. He now had his arms wrapped around Link’s neck to hold on. Link craned his neck to look back at the boy, then readjusted his focus to Zelda.

“Well, Nebb, this is my friend. Her name is...” Link paused for a moment, his eyes silently asking if what he was about to say was okay. She gave a small nod and smiled at the young boy. “Zelda.”

“She’s pretty!”

“I like that name!”

“Hi Zelda!” The children immediately left Link and flocked to Zelda’s side, yet none dared to climb on her. The young boy, Nebb, took her hand in both of his and gave a small, chivalrous bow.

“You’re super pretty, Miss Zelda.” Her cheeks tinged with a rosy hue and her smile widened a little. She knelt down to Nebb’s height and placed a very chaste kiss on the back of his tiny hand.

“You’re quite handsome yourself, young man.” Zelda giggled as his jaw fell slack and eyes widened with boyish wonder. His cheeks flared pink and he turned and ran back to Link.

“I like your girlfriend, Mr. Link.” He ‘whispered’ to Link, though it was not quiet at all. A rather fierce blush graced Link’s own cheeks as he quickly thanked Nebb and sent the children back further into the village to play.

“Girlfriend, huh?” Zelda giggled at Link’s awkward attempt to play it cool. He rolled his eyes and stepped back into stride with her as they headed towards the general store.

“Kids say the damndest things.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly just fluff ‘cause it makes my heart happy.


	5. What to do?

“This is truly unbelievable...” Zelda was awestruck as she fiddled with the Sheikah Slate, flipping through the new runes that Link had told her about. He told her about the bombs, but not to mess with them until he had gotten back from running errands, saying something about it being way too easy to detonate within range still. She trusted his judgement and decided to wait for those, though she shuddered to think how he discovered that. 

 

At the moment, she was using stasis, eyes wide in amazement as a restless cricket froze midair for several seconds while a timer chimed from the slate. As soon as the timer ended, the cricket continued its jump like nothing had happened, then promptly flew away from her.

 

“How incredible! Just frozen in time with no alterations...” She whispered to herself. She truly wished Link was here to share any insight he had into the functions of the slate. Patience was not a virtue she held when it came to research. However, he said he would return by the afternoon, so she supposed she could build an library of questions for him to answer while she waited.

 

“Hmmm...I wonder. If the object is frozen in time and force was applied, would the energy be absorbed? Or would it be stored and amplified during the release of the stasis?” She hummed to herself as she found a rock on the ground near her. She locked onto it with Stasis and the timer started chirping once again. She gave it a couple of small kicks with her foot and waited with squinted eyes for the timer to expire once again. She nearly squealed with glee as the rock launched into the air, sailing across the yard and dropping into the pond with a loud splash. She jumped up and down like a child would, absolutely thrilled at the discovery she had made. She felt rejuvenated at the thought of being able to study and research the life around her again. She hadn’t felt this much like herself in so long.

 

Nothing brought her as much happiness as her research. Well, that and the man that stood by her side every day. It was no well kept secret that she had eyes for Link a century ago. Urbosa was the first to really notice, giving her approval with incessant teasing when it was just the two of them and subtle smirks and winks when nobody else was looking. From there it seemed like it spread like wildfire. Everyone seemed to see it except Link and her father. She surmised that her father would have seen it if he hadn’t been so hell bent on raising and readying a weapon instead of a daughter. Even she knew that was harsh to think, but nobody had been able to prove her feelings wrong. That’s what she was supposed to be.

 

Link had always been much too focused on her safety and his responsibilities to notice much. Even when they did get to spend precious time alone together, it was very platonic. Zelda’s feelings for him burned like fire in her soul, but she had to rectify their relationship as acquaintances first, before they could even move on to friendship. She had been so horrible to him in the beginning, misjudged him and cursed him for having what she assumed was a very easy life. His father was Captain of the guard and he grew up being better than everyone else naturally. She never assumed he had to work hard for anything, but she was very wrong. In fact, Link worked harder than anyone she had ever known, he just stayed silent about his accomplishments, his failures, inquiries, etc. He did everything for himself, relying on no one else. He mastered so many things at such a young age that it would seem that he was just a talented prodigy of a child. Truth be told, he rarely took a day off since the day he took his first steps. He had relatively no childhood. He didn’t play like other Hylian boys, instead he trained with any and every weapon they could think of. He learned how to cook, how to mend clothing, how to take care of horses, track and hunt, swim, climb rock walls, make his own medicine and so much more. Every day, he stood tall with his chin lifted and his eyes vigilant, ready and waiting.

 

Zelda frowned at the thought. He really hadn’t ever gotten a chance to live, free of dread and burden. Not even for a moment. He never allowed himself to get distracted like she had, using her research as a means of escape to her foreboding destiny. He truly was single minded in his task.

 

“At least one of us was...” She whispered, guilt bubbling up in her stomach. She willed the feeling away as best she could. There was no use dwelling on the past, especially since she had a fresh future to look forward to.

 

“Hey there.” As if on cue, Link’s voice floated over the bridge. She whirled around, the most genuine smile tugging at her lips, though it soon faded into awe as she took in the sight of him. After having thought so hard on the subject, she felt her feelings for that man come back with such force it made her heart ache. He stood at the end of the bridge, leaning against the railing and watching her with curiosity. Her heart started to beat rapidly as she took him in. The afternoon sun hit his figure in just the right way, making his tanned skin glow. His dusty blond locks blew slightly in the breeze and eyes gleamed with something she couldn’t place. Her breath caught in her lungs as she stared - she had never seen something more breathtaking than the way he looked at her at that moment.

 

He smiled softly back at her and pushed off the railing, seemingly walking toward her in slow motion. The way the fabric of his tunic tightened around his muscles as he adjusted his gloves and bracer sent a heat prickling across her skin. It only increased as he got close enough for her to see the lightest sheen of sweat beading on his forehead. Her heart slammed against her ribcage the closer he got and she felt that heat drop lower in her body as she stared at the scar that just barely peeked out of his undershirt. She felt the most sudden and strong desire to reach out and trace her fingers along it...

 

“Zelda?” His smile shifted to one of concern and she was quickly snapped out of her trance. “You okay?”

 

Her eyes flicked up to his and she cleared her throat. _What_ _was_ _that_?!

 

“Hmm? Oh yes, I’m fine!” She sputtered out, fumbling with the Sheikah Slate in her hand as she tried to resume her earlier task of researching the runes. “W-why do you ask?”

 

“You were staring at me for a while. Are you sure everything is okay?” He brought his hand up to her forehead and she nearly sighed at the feel of his calloused fingertips grazing across her skin.

 

_Curses_. _What_ _is_ wrong _with_ _you_ , _Zelda_?

 

“I-I...uh...” She knew that she wasn’t going to be able to pull herself out of this well. She needed to get away from him for a moment to clear her senses once again. “You know maybe I should go lay down for a while. I feel a bit flushed...”

 

_Oh_ _Hylia_ , _please_ _help_ _me_.

 

She heard him mutter something in acknowledgment, his voice sounding concerned and confused, as she made a beeline for the door of the cottage. She ran up the stairs two at a time before flopping unceremoniously on the bed with a large sigh.

 

_What_ _in_ _the_ _Goddesses_ ’ _name_ _just_ _happened_ _to_ _me?_

 

She had never lost her feelings for her knight. They may have gotten pushed back when their destiny smacked them all in the face, however they were never forgotten. Yet, she had never remembered feeling so... _hot_ in his presence before. She shifted uncomfortably on the bed, agitation creeping its way into her muscles.

 

“Zelda?” Link called as he came into the house. His voice held genuine concern and it pulled at her heartstrings to know that he cared for her. “Can I come upstairs?”

 

“Ugh...” She quietly groaned and wiped her hands down her face. What in the world was she going to do? “Yes, Link.”

 

She sat up on the bed and readjusted her clothes and hair, suddenly feeling the need to tidy up and look presentable. When he finally got to the top stair his head poked around the corner first, worry in his eyes.

 

“Hey.” He greeted her with a half smile and came to stand next to the bed. “Are you sure you’re okay? You ran away from me so quickly.”

 

“I’m fine, Link. Thank you for checking on me.” She felt a little guilty. Link looked much like a sad puppy and she didn’t want to lie to him. She couldn’t possibly tell him the truth either, though! He didn’t seem to believe her that well, but he didn’t press the issue.

 

“Would you like some tea?” He offered, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other. She smiled appreciatively and nodded, waiting until he was down the stairs and out of sight before falling back into the bed with a loud thud. She had never felt more like a teenager than at this very moment. Hormones were something she never had to deal with before the Calamity. The pressure on her shoulders, as well as the constant reminder of her failure, was far too great to indulge any adolescent feelings or fantasies she might have. Apparently she was going to start now? She was unsure of how she could go about her encounters with her knight, but she was certain that the mere thought of him overwhelmed her senses. What was she supposed to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, man. 
> 
> I can’t wait for this shit. 
> 
> Love you guys :*


	6. Divine Light

Link sighed as he flipped the page in the herbal medicine book he had been reading. He was hard pressed to call it reading, as he had been mindlessly staring at the pages while thinking of the woman who was upstairs instead of actually reading any of the words. Ever since her strange episode outside his home a few days ago, she’d seemingly been avoiding him. Hateno Village was experiencing one of its many binging rainstorms and so the pair had been stuck inside his cottage for the better part of a week. Zelda had kept their interactions minimal, only coming downstairs to have a meal and use the outhouse. 

“Ugh...” Link grunted and snapped the book closed, giving up the facade of trying to do something productive. He ran his hands down his face, then back up and through his hair. He wondered if he should go check on her again, yet it seemed like she wanted nothing to do with him. Even when they were together, she barely said anything to him and never looked at him. That day, she said she was fine and just felt ill. He opted not to sleep in the bed with her as they had previously, in case she was contagious. Each night since then, she had been so awkward and abrupt towards him that he decided to leave her alone. He’d been sleeping on a pile of blankets underneath the stairs and if he were quite honest, he was loathe to spend another night on the cold wooden floor. Maybe it was time to go face her and figure out what had gone wrong. 

Yet, as he took one slow step up the stairs, he suddenly got very nervous. Why was she so awkward with him? Had he upset her? Did she think he was odd? Did she really want nothing to do with him now that their goal was completed? Or rather...did she have feelings for him? Kass had played him every song, including the one where it was very clearly stated that the Princess only had eyes for her Appointed Knight, but that was over one hundred years ago. Perhaps he was wandering too far in his own thoughts and she merely needed time alone. Or maybe she was going through her cycle. His mother had told him about that when he was younger, saying that women have monthly cycles and that was why his sister would get upset for a few days every month. Maybe it wasn’t time to face her...

No. He bested a malice infested 15 story pig demon and hoards of all different colored Lynels. He could talk to a girl, even if she was on her period.

But what did he feel? He had twelve memories to his name that she had provided for him, yet he knew no more about their relationship than the fact that they became good friends. Even if the Princess of Hyrule had eyes for her knight, how did said knight respond? He would assume the old Link would have repressed any romantic feelings to keep focused on his duties. Her safety and vanquishing Ganon would have been the only two things on his mind. However the new Link could not deny the pull that he felt towards her. It wasn’t something that he could put a pin on, but he felt it was beyond the call of duty given from His Highness from a century ago. 

Just as his foot hit the top step, he heard her. It was soft, barely above a whisper. It sounded somewhat strained, but he was soothed nonetheless. He hadn’t heard her voice in nearly a week and the sound was like music to his ears. He carefully poked his head around the corner and found her sitting on the bed, staring out the window at the moon. The easy glow of the moon’s light bathed her in a soft silver, her eyes once again appearing as if they were glowing like luminous stones. 

“I miss you terribly, Father.” Link felt his heart wrench as he heard her address the late King with such pain in her voice. He decided to listen for a moment longer. “I often wonder what our relationship would have been like if that wretched prophecy hadn’t been looming over us. Or if mother were alive. Even after obtaining my sealing powers, I am still filled with so much doubt. I do not know what Hyrule needs, what they will request of me. I do not even know if they would believe that I was their princess so long ago. They have survived for so long, flourishing in their newfound ways. I am not so sure they need a young girl sweeping in and changing their lives...”

Link nearly swore out loud as the stair beneath him creaked loudly. Her head whipped around towards him and her eyes frantically searched for the noise in the darkness. He gingerly came out of his shadow, offering her a small smile. He saw the tension leave her body as she recognized him and he came to stand beside his bed. 

“Hello, Link.” She said sadly, moving to turn back to face the window. His hand moved of its own accord, gently taking her shoulder to keep her with him. 

“Zelda...” He started, but then paused as her eyes connected with his. He was struck by her simplistic beauty. She had no rouge or eyelash paint on, her hair was down and slightly tangled and she seemed tired, but he had never thought she looked more beautiful than this moment right now. He truly was breathless, staring at her with such awe that she began to blush a bit. As if her eyes held his trance, he came back to life when she looked down and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Can we talk?” 

She merely nodded, bringing her eyes back to meet his. His breath was stolen again and his heart rate began to quicken, yet he pushed through and tried to focus on the topic at hand. Link sat beside her on the bed, boldly sliding his hand from her shoulder down to her hand and taking a deep breath. 

“Why do you avoid me? Have I done something to upset you?” He watched her lips part and close with unspoken words, her eyebrows drawing together in what seemed like concern. She tightened her own grip on his fingers before shaking her head. 

“No Link. Far from it.” 

“Then I am confused. What has you troubled?” 

She frowned lightly and brought her free hand up to his cheek. He marveled at the warmth that came with her touch—how soft and careful her skin was against his own. He felt his heart swell and suddenly realized that the glow surround her was no longer the moonlight, but a golden hue. It didn’t light the room ablaze like it had before, yet it was just as amazing. It was warm and inviting, an otherworldly radiance that only added to her own beauty. She noticed it herself, her eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise before she disconnected from him. As her hand left him, so did her glow. He felt cold in the absence of her touch. Link caught on quickly and caught her hands, placing them on both of his cheeks and watched the golden light return, fiercer and brighter than a moment ago. She blushed and looked away, feeling more vulnerable than she ever had before. 

Link could not name the feelings that coursed through his veins at that moment. His mind was swimming with a haze of adoration and attraction and all he wanted was to be closer to her. He caught her chin and tilted it back up so he could find her eyes again, finding himself invited to a world of wonder in her gaze. It was enhanced by the gold brilliance that surrounded them. It was almost like it came in waves and he could feel it pulsing into his core as though it were matching her heartbeat. 

“Link...” All it took was the velvet whisper of his name falling from her lips for him to close the distance between them. He couldn’t explain why, but he was drawn to her with a undeniable force and as as their lips met, he felt the light expand to fill the room and grow white hot. She melted against him, her fingers on his cheeks sliding into his hair. Her lips were soft and tasted so sweet as they cautiously pressed against his own. He slipped his free arm around her waist to slide her closer to him and he felt her breath catch against his lips as their chests met. The sensation that filled that filled his body could only be described as divine. 

He kissed her with a gentleness, yet so much passion that she hadn’t seen from him before. He had always been so stoic on duty, hard during battle, and self shielding even when they had friendly conversation. He never before talked of matters of the heart or anything that he may desire. The way he held her now conveyed a yearning to make up for lost time, a need to as close as possible, and a want for much more. She wanted to keep him this close forever and see more of that side of him. However, they soon ran out of air and had to break apart. As their lips parted, they stared at each other. Their eyes were wide and their chests heaved as they tried to steady their breathing. The room nearly vibrated with her light as they stayed entranced within each other. A few minutes passed, the blaze gradually beginning to dwindle back down to it’s more subtle glow.

“This...” Link rasped, still somewhat out of breath as he gestured around them. “...is because of me?” 

“I think so...to be honest I don’t fully understand it myself.” She admitted, letting her hands drop to his chest as she blinked quickly a few times. Her cheeks held a rosy blush and her teeth grazed her bottom lip. “This is why I have been...far from you. I felt so strongly for you that day when you came home...I wasn’t quite sure how to act around you. I’m sorry for making you feel in the wrong.”

“You’ve no need to apologize. I was only worried about you.” He took both of her hands in his and brought them to his lips, placing a soft kiss against her fingers. She smiled briefly at the contact, but it quickly faded and she took a shaky breath. 

“I suppose we need to talk about what this means...”

Link was unable to form words, so he gave a small nod. He held her hands tightly in his own, nearly in disbelief of what had just happened. She very obviously had strong feelings for him—her divine power radiating at a simple touch was a pretty big tell. The undeniable pull he felt towards her, wanting to make her smile and see that sparkle in her eyes, his desire to move Heavens and Hyrule to make her happy...did that mean he returned her feelings? Was this just attraction? 

Was it destiny?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY IM SO SLOW. February sucks man.


	7. Spontaneity

“Ugh!” Zelda grunted as she hit the ground. The snow covered a rock that hit hard against her hip and she grimaced, yet pushed herself off the ground as fast as she could and took off into a sprint. The wind whipped through her hair as she ran, the cool Hebra air burning her lungs in the most exhilarating way. She pulled out her shield and threw it in front of her, smoothly jumping on and beginning to slide down the side of a mild slope. She peered back over her shoulder and found Link not far behind her, a childish grin on his face. He donned a full Snowquill set and a flame blade to keep him warm, yet she could still see where the chill reddened his nose and cheeks. He looked so enticing, even as silly as he was now. It had been a week since their kiss and he’d been physically distant from her since. He hadn’t kissed her, snuggled while sleeping, held her hand or even hugged her-it seemed purely platonic. While it may have been her fault, it still made her ache. She shivered, not from the cold, but rather the thought of his lips gracing hers once again. 

When Link’s face turned from his grin to one of panic and concern, she returned her focus to the slope in front of her just in time to come face to face with a large rock directly in her path. With no time to swerve around it, she bent down and pushed her legs as hard as she could into the earth. Both she and her shield hurled into the air, her knees tucked to her chest as she soared over the boulder. She wanted to scream, yet the frigid air was paralyzing her vocal chords. 

She had learned to shield surf in the Gerudo Desert when she was a young girl from Urbosa, however in Gerudo it was sand, not snow. Flat, no steep slopes. No boulders to jump over or cliffs to fall off. Somewhere behind her she heard Link call for her, but she couldn’t register anything except the fear of the quickly approaching ground. It hit her harder than before, sending her tumbling head over feet down the rest of the slope. A loud crack rang out from her ribs as she hit another rock and continued to roll. When she reached the very bottom she ended flat on her back, gasping loudly for air but not being able to hold any in her lungs. 

“Zelda!” She heard Link cry out as he dropped down from his paraglider next to her. She felt warm blood running from her ribs down the inside of her snowquill vest and her vision started to go dark. With every gasp for air, her chest heaved, yet she still felt as though she were suffocating. 

Link flipped through the sheikh slate with fury and watched as a fairy materialized between his open palms. 

“Save. her!” He choked, holding the fairy close to Zelda. The fairy immediately floated down to her, circling her body and beating its little wings to shed its light onto her. When the fairy had no healing powers left to give, she bowed to Link and then disappeared in a puff of pink dust. Link looked down to Zelda, his blood running cold as she lay silent. Her eyes were closed and her chest was frighteningly still. He waited with baited breath, his stomach twisting with dread. 

“Zelda, wake up.” He called as he cupped her cheeks. His voice was wrenched with panic and his fingertips gripped her skin a little too hard. How had he let this happen? This was supposed to be a trip to have fun and relax, not to put her life in more danger. After they had kissed in his bedroom, they confessed that they were both equally confused by their newfound feelings towards each other. Zelda had stated that her feelings for Link hadn’t ever left, but instead were what kept her fighting all those years. However, she didn’t think it fair to Link to assume he would return her feelings or pressure him into having any. They weren’t going to exist together under any more titles other than Link and Zelda. She was no longer his Princess and he her knight. They were going to be friends. If he were honest, it put Link off a bit to have her so strongly resist whatever had happened between them, but he would always respect her wishes. Who knows? Maybe it was better for him to be somewhat separated so he could really understand the way he felt. He found it easier to put distance between them, to focus on their friendship rather than romance. Zelda had also mentioned that she craved a little spontaneity after being cooped up in the cottage for so long, hence their impromptu trip to shield surf down the Hebra mountains per her request, but this was dangerous. This was stupid; he shouldn’t have brought her here. 

Just as he was about to teleport them to Purah with violently shaking hands, she took one more loud gasp, her lungs finally filling with the frigid air and her eyes opening wide and wild. 

“Zelda!” Link scooped up the gasping girl and pulled her into his arms. She lay halfway on his lap, panting as she tried to become more aware of her surroundings. He held her uncomfortably tight, his face buried in her snow laced hair. He whispered several things against her head, however she couldn’t pick any of them up. 

Zelda didn’t reply, instead tucking herself further into Link’s grasp. Her mind ran blank, unable to process the events that had just taken place. She let herself feel everything...the ache in her side ribs, the headache blooming from behind her ears, the icy mountain air on her cheeks and nose, and the warmth that surrounded her everywhere else from the age old Champion above her. He squeezed her a little tighter and she grimaced, yet she wouldn’t have asked for anything else than to be here in his arms at that moment. She succumbed to his warmth and comfort, her eyes falling closed as she drifted off into an empty sleep. 

 

———————

When Zelda woke, she was back in Link’s bed, the covers pulled loosely to her chest. He sat on the bed next to her feet, leaning his head against the wall. He was also asleep, mouth open and hair disheveled with a half eaten pastry in his hand as he snored lightly. Through the haze in her mind she found it to be rather adorable. She shifted slightly in the bed to sit up, a small smile coming to her face as Link’s eyes opened slowly at the disturbance. He blinked sleepily a couple of times before realizing that Zelda had been staring back at him. 

“Hey!” He was suddenly much more alert as he hopped off the bed and came to stand at her side, attempting to smooth out his hair and straighten his tunic. “How are you feeling? Did you sleep okay? Do you need anything? Do you w-“

“Link, slow down.” Zelda gave a small laugh and took his hand, pulling him to sit down next to her. “I’m sore, but okay. What happened?”

“You fell down the mountain...” Link hesitated as he looked down at their clasped hands and she could sense his discomfort. He got very quiet as he spoke his next words. “You were...dying. I thought I had lost you.” 

Zelda felt herself wilt a little at his childlike manner. He was sad and scared, something that was very uncharacteristic of her previously Appointed Knight. 

“I’m here, Link.” She pulled him into her, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He readily returned the embrace and she felt her heart swell at his touch. She had missed this. Had she made a mistake by telling him no? “You saved me. Again. ” 

She felt like he was having to save her life and Hyrule on far too many occasions. When would he be free from duty and his responsibility for her life? When would he be able to live for himself and not for fate’s cruel demands. Surely he had earned the right to live as a free man, but would the Goddess agree?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not proud of this and I’m sorry it took me a whole month. But i suppose not everything can be your best work. Regardless i hope you enjoy it anyway, even fluff fics have to have a little drama


	8. On The Move

Jab, cross, hook. Jab, cross, hook. Uppercut, uppercut, then round kick. Repeat. 

Link grimaced as a bead of sweat slid down into his eye, yet he kept with his drills, swinging punches and kicks at his makeshift target. With Hyrule’s lack of need for the Hero, Link found himself getting slower, weaker. He hated it. So he built himself a drill station behind his house to keep up with his training. He had sparring weapons and shields, sandbags, and a whole lot of imagination to help him through. 

With one final jump kick, he ceased his one sided fighting and collapsed on his back next to the pond. The blades of grass prickled the bare skin of his back, but he was now too exhausted to care. Heavy breaths expanded his chest and he swallowed hard, finally wiping the sweat from his brow. 

“That was rather spectacular, even just sparring with bags of sand.” Zelda mused from the side of the cottage. Link rolled his head to the side to look at her and flashed her a half hearted grin before releasing a sigh up to the clouds. “I wouldn’t want to be the one on the other side of that fight.” 

She never would be, although his frustration with her fueled his aggression like none other. Not that he would ever let her know that. It had been weeks since she rejected him and training was the only thing that let him decompress. He was confused, as she had said that she still had feelings for him, that they had only grown stronger as she waited for him to return. Yet, she didn’t want to be with him? She claimed that he needed to find his own self now that they were free, but he found himself just pulling more towards her the further she tried to push him away. He did not know how to name his feelings or what they meant, but he did know how strong they were. 

He had never known love before, his whole life had been about training and the sword—his destiny. Now that they had fulfilled their destiny, he was unsure of what to do. Nobody needed saving any longer and there was no Royal Guard to join. The Princess of Hyrule no longer needed an Appointed Knight and so he felt stuck. Unsure. Washed up, of sorts. And so he trained for hours every day to keep him active and distracted while Zelda researched and communed with Purah and Symin. He escorted her to and from and then resumed training when she was not in need of his protection. 

She kept their interactions polite, but rather dry. They did not sleep in the same bed anymore, as Bolson had offered him an extra bed to keep under the stairs. They ate their meals with polite small talk and she spent most of the time studying the slate and texts that she had received from Purah. They were hardly even friends as she had requested to be, turning out to be more like acquaintances. He didn’t want to admit it, but it hurt him. He had fought so hard to bring her back and now she kept him at arm’s length. He had pledged himself to her, however, and would do whatever she asked of him. 

“So I’ve been thinking...” She started, causing his head to loll to the side once more to look at her. She stood tall and beautiful, her hair glowing in the afternoon sun and her voice boasting confidence. “I’d like to go to Gerudo.”

“What for?” He winced from soreness a little as he sat up and rested his arms on his knees. He began to unravel the wraps around his hands and wrist, pausing when he realized that she hadn’t answered. As he squinted against the bright sun, she seemed to turn a rosey hue. He vaguely realized that he was in his tight climbing pants and shirtless, yet paid it no mind. She didn’t want to be with him so he didn’t see the issue. 

“I’d like to start seeing Hyrule.” Her voice sounded small now, no longer holding the confidence she had prior. In an attempt to lay low for a while, they hadn’t left Hateno since the Calamity was vanquished a couple of months ago, save for the time that she almost died on the mountain. “To see the world I left behind.”

He pushed himself to stand, brushing away the stray blades of grass that had stuck to his sweaty skin. While having more one on one time with her made him slightly anxious, the promise of travel and adventure excited him. He was ready to get out and explore and liked the idea of being useful protection again. It would give him some purpose. “We could head out as soon as tomorrow if you like, I just need to run a few errands for provisions and then we can go.”

————————

Zelda was insistent on traveling by horse across Hyrule. She wanted to see it all. Every ruin, every new town, all of the survivors. She was also quite nervous about the idea of teleportation for one person, let alone a pair. She said she needed more research on the subject before she’d be willing to try it, despite Link’s insistence that he had done it thousands of times without incident. 

So they rode in their usual silence, Link on Epona and Zelda on a mare that Link had borrowed from one of his friends in Hateno. He promised the man several purple rupees and the safe return of his horse once they reached the Dueling Peaks stable. He had a surprise for her there, one that he’d been waiting to give her for nearly 6 months. 

Link wondered if this is how she felt a century ago when he was so silent. It wasn’t cold, but it was irritating. If he were honest, he didn’t have much to say. She seemed to not want to engage in much conversation besides talking about the weather and small bits and pieces of her research. He didn’t understand most of her research, so he couldn’t keep up with that topic very well. 

They’d been riding for about three hours when Link’s stomach growled loud enough to wake a sleeping Hinox. Zelda chuckled and suggested they stop to have lunch and let the horses rest. Link readily agreed and they soon came across a small cabin in Fort Hateno. 

“I know the man who owns this cabin.” Link said as he slid off of Epona. His boots kicked up a little dust as his feet hit the ground, but it quickly blew towards the gate with the gentle breeze. “Calip. He’s a good man...offered me shelter on more than one occasion. Maybe he’d let us use his cooking pot.”

Zelda nodded and dismounted her own mare, leading both her and Epona closer to the side of the cabin while Link browsed around for the man. He knocked on the door a few times, yet received no answer. A call of his name brought nothing but silence, so the pair decided it wouldn’t hurt to rest and make use of the abandoned cooking pot for themselves. 

“Thank you.” Zelda said as Link handed her a plate of chicken and rice. He nodded in acknowledgment as he settle down with his own and they ate their lunch with polite small talk about the remaining wildlife they had see so far. 

“Yes and so many more frogs than I remember seeing before!” She mused as she munched on a piece of chicken. 

“Oh, just wait until we see the wetlands. Tons of them.” Link responded, chuckling slightly before adding, “Just don’t try to make me eat any more of them.” 

He shoved another spoonful of rice in his mouth as he laughed, but paused when she didn’t respond. He looked up to find her staring at him, her fork hovering slightly above her plate and mouth slightly ajar. Her eyes held a mix of surprise and a certain sadness and he couldn’t help but feel that way himself. “You remember that?”

“I do.” With that answer, Zelda shifted a little and placed her fork and plate down into her lap. He could tell she had suddenly gotten antsy and needed to ask questions. 

“What else do you remember?” Her tone was careful and her words measured- she felt as though she were on thin ice. He didn’t reply with words, per his usual style. Instead, he shifted his gaze from her to the gate of Fort Hateno, out into Blatchery Plain. The decaying corpses of automatons littered the plain and he immediately felt his stomach turn. He heard Zelda’s breath catch and he looked back to her, only to find her peering out at the land herself. Her hands clasped over her chest and he could see tears well up behind her emerald eyes. Before she could replay the events of that night in her head, he cleared his throat, causing her focus to return to him. 

“It’s best not to dwell on it.” He said softly, returning to his lunch and hoping she would follow suit. 

“R-right. Sorry.” She took her plate in hand again, but did not eat any more. She didn’t pry further, though, and for that Link was grateful. Link avoided Blatchery Plain as best he could on his travels. He could fight guardians all day long and in his sleep, but seeing them in this plain...the place he had died...it was still too much to take. It filled him with a fear that shook him to his core. He was somewhat embarrassed by it- it was unbecoming of Hyrule’s Hero to have fear, but it was real. He got sick on instinct the first time he arrived there, not even knowing the events that had taken place. Today, they would ride through and hopefully leave it as quickly as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May is just so insane. Can’t wait for summer


	9. Archery

Link swallowed hard and kept his gaze straight forward as they pushed through Blatchery Plain. If he didn’t look at the spot where he fell, he could make it through without losing himself to that memory. He had relived it in that spot once already and once was enough.  Zelda rode silently in front of him, seemingly matching his discomfort. They trotted down the path at a decent pace in order to get through the plain quickly, neither of them being able to relax until they approached the stable. They slowed their horses to a gentle walk, Link catching up to ride side by side with her up to the stable’s front counter. Link greeted the man as he slid down from Epona before handing the reins to one of the stablehands. He wiped his hands on his trouser legs, as if trying to wipe away his anxiety like dirt from his fingertips. With his offered hand, Zelda dismounted her own horse and settled beside him.

 

“This one is to be returned to Hateno.” Link instructed the stablehand who held the borrowed steed. She nodded and disappeared around the corner with the two horses. Link then turned to Zelda, gesturing for her to move inside the stable. “If it’s alright with you, I thought we might take the journey slow. We could rest here for the night and set off again in the morning.”

 

“I see no reason to rush.” Zelda gave him a polite smile as she stepped inside the inn, setting her traveling pack on the floor next to a bed. She had opted to keep her identity secret for as long as she was able, wanting to experience the new Hyrule as honestly as she could. So she donned humble traveler’s clothes, carried her own packs, wore simple braids with no jewels and wore fingerless gloves to keep the mark of the triforce from being seen on her hand. It hadn’t illuminated in weeks, but it could still be seen as though it were a scar upon her skin. It was honestly rather liberating, she felt. She enjoyed being able to do things for herself and not have to constantly fuss with her gowns and ornamental jewelry.

 

She sat down on the bed and watched as Link conversed with the innkeeper, shelling out a few rupees in exchange for two beds for the pair. Link seemed to get a friendly discount, she noticed. It made her wonder how much he had interacted with the people of today’s Hyrule. She had seen him talk freely with villagers in Hateno and these stable and inn staff, and now even a very eccentric traveling merchant. He seemed friendly and open in his actions now, unlike the Link she had known in the castle so long ago.

 

“Who is that?” Zelda asked as he came over to the bed beside hers, stuffing a few random items into his pack. Link glanced back at the man sitting cross legged on the floor, giving a small chuckle as the man started to sing a song about bladed rhino beetles.

 

“Oh that’s Beedle.” _How fitting_ , she thought. “He’s a merchant that travels all over Hyrule. Saved my hide a few times when I was running low on arrows and elixir ingredients. He’s a strange one, for sure, but has a good heart.”

 

“Ah.” She swung her feet off of the edge of the bed and tapped her fingers together a few times before speaking again. “So I’ve been thinking...”

 

Link glanced up from his pack after tying it back up, standing up straight and resting his hands on his hips with a playful smirk on his lips. “Aren’t you always?”

 

Zelda blushed a bit at his teasing, but then rolled her eyes and continued on.

 

“After watching you train for so long at your home in Hateno, I thought maybe...well, would it interest you to teach me how to fight?” She tried to hold her tone with strength, but he could sense a bit of awkwardness and insecurity behind her voice. He was surprised at the inquiry, but it made sense. She was no longer protected by the Royal Guard and while Link would always be there to keep her safe, he knew that she had always wanted to be able to take care of herself without the use of Goddess-given magic.

 

“Sure. We have a few hours before sundown, do you want to try something now?” He scratched his head in thought as she nodded enthusiastically. “I don’t have anything to spar that isn’t dangerous, we’d have to do that back at home. However, if you want to we could try archer-“

 

“Yes!”

 

———

 

Zelda gripped the swallow bow between her fingers, running her other hand down the length of the string in admiration. The Rito bow showed great craftsmanship as well as artistry. Link pulled a few arrows out of his quiver before walking over to her.

 

“So before we shoot an actual arrow, take your stance and show me how you would take your shot.” He instructed. Zelda nodded and raised the bow in front of her. She hooked her finger around the string and pulled back, somewhat surprised at the amount of resistance it gave. Her arm burned a little as she pulled, but she did her best to hold it steady. “Okay, so you want to relax your shoulders. Pull the string back a little further, just about to the corner of your mouth. Lower your front hand and then feel the strength and tension across your back. Good, now try with an arrow.”

Holding it gently in her fingers, she thumbed the feathery tail of the arrow before nocking it back into the string. She readied her stance again, lifted the bow to aim at the large tree trunk that was her target and pulled back the string. Before waiting for him to instruct her, she released the arrow. It flew from her grasp and buried itself deep into the dirt several feet away from her target, sending several restless crickets and a sparrow fleeing as quickly as they could. She looked sheepishly at Link, who just squinted at the arrow before motioning for her to take another.

 

“Ready your arrow again and this time let me help you adjust before you release.” She did as she was told, her arm trembling ever so slightly with the strain of holding the bow string taught. “Shoulders down, hand to mouth, relax...and release.”

 

She released the arrow with a little bit of a jerk and watched it sail toward its target. It grazed the very side of the tree trunk, chipping off some of the bark as it bounced off and fell into the grass. She let out a frustrated huff, looking back to Link with a bit of a furrowed brow. She wasn’t the most patient person, she would admit that, but she had practiced some archery with some of the soldiers in Gerudo when she was a young girl and thought that she would have had more muscle memory for it now. Link grinned a little at her frustration, but handed her another arrow and instructed that she try again.

 

She nocked back another arrow and lifted the bow to aim, but froze when she realized that Link had moved behind her. She held still as heplaced one hand on the top of her shoulder, his other hand clasping gently around her own on the bow. He stood so close to her that she could feel warmth radiating off of him and she felt goosebumps prickle the skin down her back. With a gentle push from his hand, she relaxed her shoulder. Her heartbeat quickened as he brought his face closer to hers to share her line of sight. A breath caught in her throat as the skin of his cheek brushed against hers. She felt his calloused fingers gently adjust her aim of the bow. They moved and held the stance together, as if they had melded into one. His chest pressed ever so slightly against her back, his left hand carefully held strong aim, and the fingers of his other hand accidentally brushed the corner of her bottom lip as he helped guide her arrow back further.

 

“Relax...” As he whispered against her skin, she felt like lightning had shot up her spine and back down again. She could hardly relax with his close proximity and the way he was igniting her nerve endings with every touch. He seemed focused on the shot, however, so she tried to reign in her sudden barrage of feelings and join him. “Take three deep breaths.” She did as instructed, surprised when she felt him match her breaths. He pressed closer to her and she felt his ribcage expand in sync with hers. At the top of the third breath, he whispered to her again. “Release...”

 

She released her hold on the arrow as they exhaled together and watched as it pierced directly into the center of the tree trunk. She would have probably squealed like a young child at the triumph, but the way that her senses were overrun at the moment prevented her from moving in the slightest. Link lowered the bow for her, keeping his hand clasped around her own. She felt his stare warming her cheeks and could feel his own heart beating wildly against her back. She slowly looked over her shoulder and met his gaze, finding him closer to her than she had even anticipated. The bow dropped to the ground as he released it and brought his hand up to carefully cup her cheek. They stared at each other for a long moment, hearts beating out of control and lungs nearly breathless, before she let herself resign to him. Her previous reservations melted away with the way he was looking at her and all she wanted was for him to grace her with his lips. He leaned ever so slightly forward and her eyes fluttered closed...

 

 

_DING DING DING_

 

His lips had just barely brushed against her own when the shrill tones of the stable’s dinner bell rang out into the field. Her eyes flew open and she jumped back from his grasp, startled by the bell.

 

“W-we should...we should head back to the stable for dinner.” She fumbled over her words, wringing her hands nervously as a furious blush rose to her cheeks. She barely made eye contact with him before setting a quick pace back towards the inn and leaving him alone in the field.

 

He stood there for a moment, shocked with his own actions. He had tried to suppress his feelings for that woman, yet this brought them back full force. He couldn’t deny his pull to her any longer. They hadn’t even been out on the road for a full day yet and they had nearly kissed. Goddess, he was so close to her. The way she smelled of wildflowers, her shining emerald eyes and her full, rosy lips were so intoxicating and enticing. One second longer and he would have been able to kiss those full lips and hold her closer against him. He would have had the chance to convince her that maybe it was okay to be with him, but the moment was gone and she left him alone.

 

_Goddess, dammit._

 

He let out a somewhat juvenile groan and bent down to pick up the swallow bow from the grass before begrudgingly heading back to the stable for their prepared supper.

 

 


	10. Swear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this chapter is DIFFERENT Than the rest of this story. It’s nsfw, but not in a fun way. 
> 
> Trigger warning for assault. 
> 
> If you don’t want to read, read the ending noted for a summary.

The mushroom soup in Link’s bowl sloshed about as he pushed it around with his spoon, a mild scowl set on his lips. Never before had he lost his appetite. No matter what bullshit life had thrown on him, he could always count on finding solace in a large plate of food, but seeing the sight before him nearly made him want to vomit. Zelda stood several feet away, having a cheerful conversation with a tall, dark and handsome traveler. The pair laughed, smiled, talked, he’d occasionally touch her arm...

Link _hated_ every second of it.

He could barely suppress his urge to go over there and push that traveler face first into the cooking pot, but that wasn’t warranted. The man hadn’t done anything, he was simply talking to another traveler he met on the road. However that ‘traveler’ was the Princess of Hyrule and she was his. Or so he wished. She had strongly avoided him since their near kiss in the field, which left him to attempt to eat his dinner alone on the outskirts of the stable.

“If looks could kill...” Link jumped as Beedle poked his head over his shoulder, spilling his uneaten soup all over his trousers and boots. He was thankful that it was no longer hot, but his scowl deepened as he brushed chunks of mushroom and onion off of his leg. “That man talking to your lady friend would be long gone.”

“You should know better than to sneak up on me, Beedle.” Link sent a half glare to the eccentric man as he plopped down, his backpack towering over his head. At that moment, Zelda laughed at something the man had said. It was like music, floating across the clearing and gracing his ears. He saw her beautiful smile, the little crinkle of her nose and light in her eyes, and for a moment his annoyance was steeled. Truth be told, she looked positively ordinary. She had no makeup, her hair was messily braided back and she wore plain traveler’s clothes, but he thought she looked so beautiful. Free from all ornamentation, he felt that he could see the real version of Zelda, not the Princess that everyone else knew. He could see her breathe easier and carry her head higher and that was more enticing to him than the fancy dresses and diadems she use to have to wear.

“Yes I suppose so, but what are you going to do, scowl at me?” Link rolled his eyes. “You know, if you’d rather that be you talking to that pretty lady, you could just...oh I don’t know...go talk to her? Instead of trying to murder that poor boy with your mind.”

“I tried. She’s avoiding me.” Link grumbled as he removed one of his boots and wiped it on the grass, a poor attempt to clean it. With a sigh, he stood and shoved his foot back inside, turning to Beedle and giving him a look of defeat. “I’m going to go change.”

Beedle chuckled and waved him off with a final piece of advice. “She will continue to avoid you unless you take matters in to your own hands!”

——————

Zelda was thoroughly enjoying her anonymity. She loved that there were no expectations of her. She could rewrite who she was and who she wanted to be and nobody could question her. She had met a few travelers who were staying at the Dueling Peaks stable and had started some friendly conversation with them, trying to understand a bit more about the new Hyrule. Most of them had retired after dinner, except for one. His name was Roland, she had come to find, and he was traveling to Rito village. He shared stories with her of his previous travels, recounting close calls with both nature and monster alike, some of his favorite finds and some hilarious tales of trying to ride a deer. She found him to be pleasant company, which she rather enjoyed seeing as Link was intent on sulking on the other side of the stable. Granted, maybe it was her fault as she had avoided him since the archery lesson.

Her feelings for him were strong, if not somewhat overwhelming, and it was hard to be in his presence without melting into a puddle. She wasn’t too fond of the fact that someone could unhinge her like he could, just with a smile or offering her his hand, but no matter how hard she tried, he was nearly all she thought about. She knew it wasn’t a normal feeling for someone to feel. She felt a connection to him that surpassed the typical Hylian love story. When she first discovered her feelings for him so many years ago, she had her suspicions and her research proved them to be true. She held the blood of the goddess. He had the soul of the hero. They were yet another incarnation of the Hero and Princess and their souls were bound to each other. It wasn’t just a crush, it was destiny.

That was precisely why she was avoiding him.

She didn’t want him to want her because he was supposed to. She didn’t want him to love her because she was the Princess and he was the Hero, she wanted him to love her for who she was underneath the pomp and title. She wanted them to have time together as Link and Zelda, much like they did a century ago when they traveled alone. Yet, every time she was alone with him, she melted into that puddle and lost all restraint. It was all she could do to keep from jumping into his arms and kissing him every time she saw him. So instead, she avoided him. It wasn’t the best solution, but it would have to do until she could figure out to regain control of herself.

“So you never did tell me your name.” She was broken out of her thought as Roland scooted closer to her on the log. They had been sitting in front of a campfire a ways north of the stable, all of the guests of the inn having retired their beds quite some time ago, including Link. He flashed her a handsome smile before peering around. The sun had set and the moon was dark, leaving the fire as the only illumination for them save for a lit torch at the entry of the inn. A breeze swept down from the peeks, carrying a chill with it and causing Zelda to shiver slightly. Roland took his opportunity to lay his arm around her shoulder, trying to pull her closer to his side to warm her.

“Zelda.” There was no point in lying, nobody would believe her story even if she told it. His arm around her shoulder tightened and he smiled again.

“Like the age old princess?” His tone was low, his eyes dark. The way he looked at her made her uneasy and she suddenly yearned to have her protector back at her side.

“Sure.” She looked around as well, trying to come up with an excuse to leave him and head to bed. However, there was nothing to see but darkness. When she turned back to him, she came face to face with him and he planted his lips flat against her own. Stunned, she sat still as his lips moved against hers hungrily. She had only ever been kissed by one other person…Link…Link was gentle and passionate with careful hands and lips conveying emotion that she had never thought possible. She craved those lips and this kiss with Roland paled in comparison. His lips were rough and sloppy, his hands holding slightly too tight and she suddenly felt very suffocated. Regaining her senses, she pushed him back and cleared her throat.

“Right…I think I should head to bed.” She stood and straightened out her tunic, taking a step backwards towards the inn. His eyes were wide, surprised and somewhat dumbfounded. “Goodnight, Roland.”

She turned to leave but had only gotten a step away before she felt him grab her wrist. He turned her around to face him and immediately his lips were on hers again. Her stomach dropped as she pushed him away again, with much more force this time. His eyes darkened even more at her second rejection and a slight grimace settled on his features. She knew what that look meant.

“Please, don’t.” She tried to sound strong, but in truth her insides were twisting. He was nearly a foot taller than her and over twice her size. There would be no way that she could outrun or fight him off. “I’d like to go to bed.”

“Come on now, I thought we were having fun.” He smirked as he wrapped his arm around her lower back and forcefully pulled her towards him, pressing his hips into hers. His lips found her neck and he nipped at the skin, causing her to whimper slightly. It seemed to egg him on and his hands dropped to her backside where he gave it a firm squeeze.

“Stop!” She cried out, pushing back from him enough to give him a smack across the face. This only set him off, a deep scowl setting onto his features as he rubbed one hand across his cheek. She took the opportunity to turn and run back towards the stable, but he quickly caught her by the shoulders and threw her to the ground. Before she could open her mouth to scream, he was on top of her, sealing her mouth with his hand. She kicked and writhed underneath him as he settled over top of her, but he was so big that it didn’t phase him. She went for his face again, her nails clawing scratching across his cheek. Fresh blood began to immediately pepper where she caught his skin. He released her mouth long enough for her to take a breath, but as she went to scream, his hand slapped hard against her cheek. He hit her with such force that her vision blurred for a moment and she struggled to remain aware of anything.

“You…” He growled into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Tears burned behind her eyes as he looked down at her. He dipped his head down until he was a mere inch from her face, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “…You’re going to regret that.”

His body weight was crushing and he pinned her down as his fingers worked at her tunic. With one strong pull, he had torn the piece in two, leaving her upper half bare and exposed to him. She wanted to scream, but she was so disoriented. Every time she tried, the sound died in her throat. Her vision swam as she made poor attempts at fighting him, flailing her arms and trying to crawl away. Each time, he just swatted her hand out of the way or grabbed her by the hips and dragged her underneath him. The burning tears escaped from her eyes and fell to the earth beneath her as he rolled her over onto her stomach. His fingers made quick work of the ties on her trousers and he began to pull them down. As he did, he brought his lips to the skin of her back, sucking and biting the freshly exposed flesh until he reached her bottom. A sob escaped her throat as he discarded her trousers somewhere to the side and let his hands roam possessively over her body. He flipped her over onto her back once more and forced his way between her legs, groping his hands over her bare breasts and even dipping down to rub her womanhood over her underwear. She sobbed again at the violation and immediately felt the urge to vomit. As he rolled his hips down on to hers, she could feel his member grinding into her. In a last ditch effort for survival, she summoned the focus and strength to find her voice and let out the most ear piercing, blood curdling scream, hoping that someone from the stable would hear her. He hit her again with his fist, making her vision go dark. He put a hand to her cheek and pressed her face into the dirt, grinding into her hips again. She writhed underneath him, crying and hitting him with her hands, but it made no difference. She squeezed her eyes shut and pleaded for the Goddess to save her, her entire body shuddering at the sound of his belt unbuckling and the feel of his rough fingers hooking underneath her panties and ripping them off of her hips.

“ _HEY_!” A man’s voice screamed from somewhere to their left, a deep voice filled with anger and disgust. Roland ceased his actions and squinted into the darkness. Zelda shook beneath him and before she even had a chance to crawl away, a figure leapt out of the darkness and tackled Roland off of her. The pair rolled several feet away and she could hear the crunch of bone hitting bone. She quickly sat up and instantly regretted it, holding a hand to the place where Roland had hit her. Her head throbbed and her skin ached. Loud, animalistic grunts and growls rang out from the shadows beside her and she trembled. She knew that one of them wasn’t going to leave that fight alive. Wanting to get away as quickly as possible, she tried to crawl on her hands and knees away from the fight, but she was too disoriented and couldn’t balance herself. She fell on to her side with a cry and lay there, just trying to breathe. Everything felt like it was on fire and she just wanted to close her eyes and fade away.

_Move, Zelda. You have keep going._

Just as she had begun to drag herself to safety, someone stood before her. She couldn’t focus and instead she closed her eyes, preparing for the worst, but it never came.

“Dear Goddess…” The person whispered. She recognized the voice as the innkeeper and looked up as the man took off his robe and draped it over her naked body. He knelt down to her and was about to speak when one final roar rang out in the darkness. It was loud and primal, like a battle cry filled with hatred and power. Then, it was silent. Eerily, deadly silent. The feeling set her nerves on edge and she dared not to even breathe to break the silence. The sound of bare feet padding through the grass filled her ears and she shivered. A shadow appeared on the edge of the darkness and she looked to the inn keeper, fear bursting forth from her eyes like light rays from the sun. The innkeeper squinted against the night and then his features softened as the shadow stepped closer. Her breath caught as the figure approached them. A few terrifying moments later, the figure’s face was illuminated by the flames of the campfire.

Link.

She choked out a sob of relief and pulled the innkeeper’s robe tighter across her exposed body. Tears streamed down her cheeks, stinging a cut that she had near her lip. Link’s face was stone like—unreadable. He stood there for a while, taking in her trembling, whimpering form. His fist clenched and released several times in the minutes that he looked at her. His face did not betray him, but she could feel his anger radiating in the air between them. He crossed the distance between them and knelt down beside her, painfully dragging his eyes from her bare legs up to her face. When his gaze met hers, his facade withered and he released a shaky, pained breath of his own.

Without wasting another moment, he threaded his arms under her knees and back, standing and holding her close to his chest. He was careful to keep her covered with the robe as he took her back in the direction of the inn. Her head fell against his chest as he walked and she could feel his heart hammering against his ribs. When they got back to the inn, the other residents had woken from the noise and were poking their heads out from behind their curtains, murmuring and whispering about what could have happened. The pair ignored them and Link took her to his bed, gently laying her down and drawing the curtain closed around them.

He lit the lamp on the bedside table and carefully returned to sit beside her on the bed. He let his eyes travel over her again and his throat tightened as he took stock of her. Fingerprint shaped bruises were already littering her legs and neck, a large dark bruise forming on her cheek. Her lip had been cut from where he had struck her and she quivered underneath the robe. Worst of all, the crinkle of her nose and the light in her eyes had vanished. It was replaced by an emptiness and a fear that he would never be able to relate to.

“Zelda…” He whispered, reaching out to her but pausing when she shriveled away from him. She stared down at his hand, wide eyes conveying the fear she still held. He looked down and grimaced at his bloodied and split knuckles. There was no doubt that he had broken something in his hand, as it was starting to bruise and swell, but he couldn’t feel it. His mind was racing with thoughts of what that monster had done to her and he couldn’t feel anything but rage and guilt. He failed to protect her.

Again.

“Zel, I’m so sorry.” He whispered, feeling tears building in his eyes. “I should have never left you alone with him.”

She didn’t say anything, merely stared at him as silent tears continued to slide down her cheeks. After a long while, his gaze dropped to his lap where he examined his hands. The pain from his broken bone was beginning to present itself and he winced as he balled up his fist. Several silent minutes passed, Zelda staring absently at him and him staring absently at his hands. He stood to grab the chair beside his bed and pull it closer, but her hand suddenly shot out and grabbed his good one. He looked to her face and almost wept at the terror in her eyes.

“Don’t leave me.” She whispered. The grip on his hand was uncharacteristically tight and he slowly sat back down on the bed. “Please.”

“I won’t. I promise.” He assured her, shifting slightly to face her. “Zelda, I won’t ever leave you.”

She was silent for a few moments, trying to find truth and comfort in his eyes before pulling his hand towards her. “Hold me.”

Link didn’t hesitate, moving to sit at the head of the bed. He pulled blankets up and over them and opened his arms to her, letting her make the first move. She shifted uncomfortably before moving to lay against him. She tucked her head underneath his chin and closed her eyes, tensing when he carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders. His heart broke when he felt her shaking like a scared pup beneath his arms. She tried to fight her body’s instinct to panic and attempted to relax into him. Link’s touch was welcome and as gentle as anyone could be, his fingertips lightly running through her hair. His lips placed the softest kiss to her forehead as her eyes fluttered closed and he coaxed her into rest.

He would not leave her side. He would not sleep tonight or probably for a long while. He swore to the Goddess that he would not ever let her feel that fear again for as long as he lived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TL;DR 
> 
> Zelda meets a guy at the stable. Link hates him and gets all broody. Zelda sorts through her feelings for Link. The guy assaults Zelda, Link kills him. Link swears to never leave her and he will not rest until she is safe.


	11. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cue the steam*

As the first rays of morning light started to peek over the curtain around his bed, Link blinked and started to regain his focus. He did not sleep, but rather slipped into a sort of meditative state. It wasn’t as refreshing as true sleep, but it would do. He shifted his head and peered down at Zelda, who slept soundly on his chest. She had been so still and slept so well all night that it was concerning and he felt like he had to check if she was still breathing. If she had any bad dreams, he couldn’t tell, but he was thankful that her body and mind allowed her to rest.

 

As he moved a lock of hair away from her face, his lips twisted into a frown. Dark discolorations and scrapes spotted the previously porcelain skin around her eye and cheek, as well as scuffs of dirt and dots of dried blood. She’d fought hard and had the marks to show for it. His eyes squeezed shut as the sound of her scream-that horrible sound-rang in his mind. He’d never forget that scream or the sound of her sobbing and begging for a savior. Even hearing it in his memories knocked the wind from his lungs.

 

Opening his eyes again, he ever so lightly trailed his fingers over her temple and back into her hair, the movement causing Zelda to stir. She furrowed her brow and nuzzled deeper into his chest before her eyes slowly fluttered open.

 

She slid her hand further around Link’s waist and looked up to him. For a few blissful, ignorant moments, he saw the light in her eyes and the crinkle in her nose as she smiled softly up at him. Then he saw it fade away as she took in his face-the bruises on his own skin, the guilt behind his eyes, the state of his broken hand. The light was quickly extinguished as she began to remember. She looked away from him and pushed herself up to sitting, holding the blanket tight across her chest. The action left the bare skin of her back exposed to him and he nearly got sick as he saw more bruises and bite marks marring her flesh. Her chest began to heave as the events of the night before played in her head. He almost wished that he hadn’t beat that bastard last night so he could do it again right now. Link joined her in sitting up, going to reach for her shoulder but then thinking better of it before he touched her.

 

He rounded the bed to sit in front of her, very carefully reaching forward to take her hand in his. Her eyes flashed to his, wide and full of emotion. She stared at him for a moment, her throat tightening as the scene replayed in her eyes. She could hear the rage in Link’s grunts and growls in the darkness as he fought off her attacker. It had been more than defense—he had destroyed him. She couldn’t imagine that anyone would have walked away from what she heard erupting in the shadows.

 

“Zelda?” Link’s voice brought her out of her thoughts, but before he could speak again, she cut him off.

 

“Is he dead?” Link was caught off guard by the question and a look of surprise washed over him. He didn’t expect that to be the first thing she said to him. “Did you kill him?”

 

He was silent, no longer feeling well with what he’d done. He’d ended a life. Even though that man was evil and tried to...Link had killed him. He wasn’t able to stop his rage once Roland was no longer a threat and he took it too far.

 

He couldn’t bring himself to speak, so he gave a small nod, peering up into her eyes. He swore he saw a flash of pride cover her features as her jaw clenched and her hand tightened around his, but it was gone in an instant. Was she happy with the fact that he did? Would she have done the same thing if she could? A few more moments of tense silence passed between them before Link spoke again, eager to move on from the subject at hand.

 

“Do you want to wash up?” She nodded quickly and wrapped the robe around her body, tying it securely in the front to keep herself covered. She lowered her legs over the side of the feather bed and placed her feet on the ground, her motions stiff and uneasy. As she pushed off the bed and onto her feet, the load was too much for her distressed muscles and her legs buckled underneath her. Link caught her before she hit the ground and lifted her back to standing, moving to the side and holding her up around her waist.

 

“I can carry you...” He offered quietly, but she adamantly shook her head. She needed to do this. She needed to be okay. So Link hooked his arm around her waist and hers over his shoulder and slowly drew the curtain back. Thankfully the guests had abandoned their beds and moved on, leaving just the innkeeper and his wife sweeping the floor and making the beds for the next customers. Link shared a pointed look with the man, who nodded in understanding before they made their way to the baths. Each step was slow and measured, Zelda trying not to collapse as she walked.

 

They made it to the back of the stables and into the baths, thanking Hylia that they were alone. He helped ease Zelda down into a chair before he barred the door and began to draw her a bath. He drew out the Sheikah slate and selected a few red chu chu jellies and some elixirs to pour into the water before getting her some soaps and towels. Once everything was ready, he turned back to her. She sat in the chair with her head low, her hair forming a drape around her face. He shoulders caved forward around herself and she trembled the slightest bit. He knelt down before her, taking the slowest and most careful motion to lift her chin to meet his eyes. She looked frightened and he could see a redness begin to show in her eyes.

 

“Are you ready?” He asked quietly, offering her his good hand to help her rise. She looked at it for a second before she swallowed hard, nodded and lacing her fingers into his. He helped her stand and walk over to the tub, turning away to give her privacy.

 

“I’ll be in the corner over there if you need anything.” Zelda stared at the somewhat high walls of the tub and inwardly sighed. The simple walk back here had exhausted her and her body ached more than it ever had before. She lifted her leg up no more than two inches when a sudden pain ran up through her body. Link had only taken a step away when she called for him.

 

“Link, I-...” He stopped and turned back to her.Her voice was small and pathetic and she winced a little as she gripped the edge of the tub. “I don’t think I-...can you help me?”

 

His heart dropped as she pleaded with him and he slowly stepped back towards her, a somber expression lacing his eyes. Her own, still filled with tears, dropped town to the tie of the robe as her fingers worked on pulling it free. Every movement burned and she just wanted to give up, but she kept going. If she gave up, her fight would have been for nothing.

 

Link looked nowhere but her eyes as she glanced back up at him, tears finally escaping down her cheeks as the robe slid off her shoulders and down to the floor. She withered as Link brought a hand to her cheek, his gaze never faltering, and he tenderly placed his lips to her forehead. She fell against his chest, quiet sobs bubbling in her throat as he wrapped himself around her and held her. He so desperately wished to erase last night, to have a second chance, to stay by her side all night and protect her from harm.

 

After a few minutes, her cries subsided and she pulled back from him, but couldn’t meet his gaze. She knew that Link was a man of honor and held the utmost respect for all women, specifically her. Though he didn’t pointedly look at her body, she knew he could see her and she felt full of shame, humiliated that he saw her like this- naked and broken. This wasn’t ever how he was supposed to see her, especially for the first time.

 

She gasped as he suddenly picked her up and over the edge of the tub, slowly lowering her down until she sat fully in the water. She inwardly groaned at the temperature, but the heat soon permeated her muscles and they began to relax.

 

She held her knees to her chest and rested her head on them as Link pulled up a stool beside the tub, rolling the sleeves off his undershirt up to his elbows. He grabbed a small cloth and dipped it into the water, lightly dragging the cloth along her skin and letting the dirt and blood dissolve away. He worked in silence as he cleansed her skin, washed her hair and tended to her wounds all with the gentlest and most caring touch. He never pressed too hard, never went too far, never hurt her. It reminded the both of them of their first night Post-Calamity, when he helped her scrub away the remnants of a century long war in his living room. Wanting to give her more time to soak and relax, he drew her fresher, warmer water and added in some lavender and wildflower petals. It was working wonders for her aches and as he drew his stool closer to her, she turned her attention to him.

 

Her eyes locked on to his as he lifted her chin and began applying an herbal salve to her cheek. She took note of the way the dim candle light of the room cast a shadow against his jaw and his how his eyebrows drew together in concentration as he worked. A few shaggy pieces of his hair had fallen loose from his hair tie and framed his face perfectly.

 

“Okay, I think I’m all done.” He said quietly, replacing the lid of the jar he held.He placed it on the floor next to his feet and then brought his attention back to her, his face rather close to hers as he examined his work on her wounds. “Do you want to stay longer?”

 

Zelda couldn’t bring herself to say anything, just gazing at him in silence. She didn’t understand the desire she had for him right now, and the thought made her feel like what she wanted was wrong and a little sick. She had nearly been raped and now she wanted nothing more than to feel Link’s hands caressing her and his lips on her own. She wanted to take back control over her own body and Link was so kind and gentle, he could give her that. Her reservations about their relationship had dissolved, at least for the moment, and she needed him overtake her senses.

 

So instead of answering him, she leaned forward and captured his lips with her own. They both sat still, Link’s eyes wide in surprise. His hands hovered over her bare shoulders as his body went rigid, unsure of how to respond and afraid to make more contact with her. Her lips barely moved against his and when he didn’t reciprocate, she pulled back to look into his eyes.

 

“Kiss me, Link.”

 

Link was speechless. How could she possibly want him to kiss her after what had happened? Of course he wanted to, but he didn’t feel like he should under the circumstances. She had been assaulted and was now naked and vulnerable in front of him. Is that really what she wanted? He didn’t have time to think much on it before she took his hand and guided it to her cheek. Her lips parted with bated breath, but her eyes never left his. He looked deeply at her for a moment, drinking her in. Even broken and bruised, she was still so beautiful. Her skin shone from the water, her blonde locks beginning to wave slightly as they dried. His fingertips dropped from her cheek, carefully tracing down the curve of her neck, across the subtle ridges of her collar bones and back up to her soft, rosy lips. Goose bumps bloomed in the wake of his touch and he could hear her breath catch in her chest. His resolve weakened when he looked up and into her emerald eyes. The light wasn’t there, but there was something else...something he knew was only for him.

 

He dipped his head down and pressed his forehead to hers, taking one last moment for her to decide. Both of his hands lifted to cup her cheeks as he really looked into her eyes.

 

“You’re sure?” He whispered. He wouldn’t let himself do it until he was positive that it was what she wanted. She gave him the slightest nod, her breathing becoming heavy with anticipation.

 

“Yes.”

 

Achingly slow, Link lowered his lips down to meet hers once more. She met him halfway, both of them lingering in stillness for a moment. Link couldn’t deny the feelings that started to rise within him as he tentatively began to move his lips in time with hers. They were so supple and tasted so sweet and he felt himself melt into her. Even if the situation wasn’t perfect, kissing her was so right. Nothing felt more natural to him. Well, maybe holding the Master Sword, but that was different.

 

She brought her own hands to the back of his neck and pulled him closer, so close that he ended up halfway in the water with her. He gasped against her as she tugged on his undershirt and pulled him the rest of the way into the tub, thoroughly soaking him and his clothes. Water splashed over the sides of the large bath, but the pair paid it no mind, completely engrossed in each other. Their lips never left each other’s, even as Link situated himself down into the water. As soon as he had, Zelda leaned forward, pressing his back to the edge of the bath. Her hands settled on his chest as she pulled herself over him, settling with one leg on either side of his hips. She released a small sigh into the kiss and then deepened it, her tongue just barely brushing his bottom lip to ask for more. He obliged and opened up to her, his broken hand gently caressing her face while his other hand traveled from her bare hip up her spine to hold her close to him. Her tongue danced against his eagerly, her breath was hot as it fanned over his face and the way she knelt over him and the soft moan she released into his kiss nearly made him go crazy. He was so wrapped up in her, his heart beating wildly and swimming with emotion and he felt something in his soul change. He would do anything for her, anything she ever asked, without hesitation. He would give her all of Hyrule if she wanted it. He wanted to take her and make her his, to show her what he felt for her, to show her what love really felt like. He wanted to love every inch of her...but he wanted her to be happy. He didn’t want this to happen out of desperation or to come from a place where she was hurt. She deserved better than that. He would help her heal, but not like this. Not yet.

 

He returned his hands to her cheeks, slowing the kiss until he just held her steadily against him. She eventually released his lips and rested her forehead against his, eyes still closed and breath heavy.

 

“I’m sorry.” She eventually breathed out, opening her eyes to his. She felt guilty, like she had used his feelings for her. 

 

“No.” Link replied, almost a little too quickly. He smoothed back a tendril of her hair and took a breath. “Don’t be.”

 

“I just...I wanted to feel something good...something true and happy.”

 

“It’s okay, I understand.” He offered her a small smile, guiding her chin towards his for another small, sweet kiss. When he pulled away, he could see tears prickling her eyes once again, but they came from a place of relief. “Zelda, I would do anything for you. Anything that you need, I will give you.”

 

He could see her wilt a little, her lip quivering ever so slightly before she shifted to lay next to him in the bath, much like they had in bed that morning. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she leaned into his chest and whispered. “Just hold me.”

And so he held her there in the bath for hours, occasionally placing in more chu chu jellies to keep them warm. Talking wasn’t one of his strong suits, but she made it easy for him to want to share everything with her. He told her stories of his travels alone, tales of people he’d met and things he’d encountered. He shared some of his secrets with her, told her how he makes some of his favorite foods, what it was like to stand at the summit of Hebra and then on the edge of Death Mountain’s crater. He talked to her, telling her everything that came to his mind until she had drifted off to sleep in his arms.

 

Placing a kiss on to her head, he breathed in her scent. She smelled fresh and like the lavender he had used earlier. He tightened his grip around her shoulders and said a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess before whispering three little words into her hair.

 

_I love you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaaaa-? Two updates in one week?! No you’re not dreaming Its just summer and I’m bored as hell. Woohoo! R&r my loves!


	12. Journey On

“As soon as we get to Kakariko, you need to get that looked at.” Zelda commanded as the pair packed up their supplies. They had stayed an extra day at the Dueling Peaks stable to let her recover a bit before deciding to head out. While she was still very sore and on edge, she didn’t want to stay there a moment longer than she had to. She could also see that Link’s broken hand was beginning to cause him some intense pain, though he never complained, and wanted to get him proper medical attention. They were both very thankful it wasn’t his sword hand that had been damaged. “Promise me you will. You need to take care of yourself too.” 

“As soon as we get to Kakariko.” He confirmed with a small smile to her. Kakariko Village certainly wasn’t on the path to Gerudo, but they still hadn’t visited Impa since they won the battle. They imagined that Impa would be somewhat sore about that. It had been nearly three months since then...but they needed time to recover and heal. Impa would just have to understand that. Zelda nodded at his affirmation, though kept her eyebrows drawn with concern. He didn’t like her worrying over him, so he switched focus. “How are you?”

“Fine.” Her answer was short, but not rude. It was very clear that she didn’t want to talk about her current state, physical or mental, so he let it go and they walked out towards the stable in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable or unfriendly as it had been for past couple of weeks. Actually it was rather the opposite. She stayed by his side nearly every minute. They seemed to have done a role reversal, because Link did most of the talking and she would just stay quiet and listen, save for a comment here and there. It was understandable, given what had happened, but also slightly concerning seeing as her reputation as a chatterbox preceded her. She always had something to say, until now. 

They hadn’t had any more...intimate contact since the bath, though Link thought about it nearly every moment. He was immensely grateful that they hadn’t gone any farther than they had, as he would have taken advantage of her and nearly died with guilt, but when she'd kissed him and looked at him the way she had...

Well, now he was restless. 

He was a still technically a teenage boy after all and teenage boys have urges. She lit a fire in him that he didn’t ever think he could extinguish, but of course he was wise enough and held enough self control not to act on it. He wouldn’t dare disrespect her honor or wishes for the sake of his desires, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t think about it. 

He pictured them together, happy and in love. He would be a true romantic and court her, maybe dance with her under the stars or take her for a walk along the coast. He’d take her hand and tell her how much he felt for her and they’d kiss. Then he’d take her back to his house in Hateno, where he’d have candles lit and flower petals scattered about. Then he’d carry her to his bed, lay her down and—

“Link?” He snapped out of trance and found Zelda standing in front of him, waving her hand in front of his face a little. 

“Yes?” 

“You stopped and then glazed over. Are you okay?”

His cheeks and ears flared crimson as he realized he had gotten so lost in thought about that. He cleared his throat and nodded, setting a new, slightly quicker pace towards the stable. Zelda stood dumbfounded for a moment before catching up to him. She was about to question him again when he suddenly turned around and held out a hand to stop her. 

“Wait right here.” Before she could speak he turned and jogged away, calling over his shoulder for her to close her eyes. She sighed, but did as she was told, covering her face with her hands and waiting. A minute or two passed by until she heard Link’s voice again. 

“Okay, open.” She pulled her hands from her eyes and her heart nearly stopped at what stood in front of her. 

A tall, pure white stallion stood before her, perfectly groomed and decked out in the Royal Riding gear. It was the spitting image of her companion from so long ago. 

“Link...” She looked from the steed to Link a few times as she stepped forward toward the pair. The horse was beautiful and majestic and Link was downright giddy. “He looks like...”

“I know. He’s a descendent of yours. As soon as I saw him in the field, I knew I had to get him back to you. Do you like him?” He asked, coming to stand beside her. Zelda reached her hand out carefully to the horse and breathed a sigh of relief as it tucked its nose under her palm and let out a quiet nicker. The most delicate smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she moved her hand to its neck, petting it smoothly. 

“He’s beautiful.” The horse’s ears and tail fluttered as Zelda ran her fingers across the decorative riding gear. “Does he have a name?” 

A short moment of silence passed between the two and Zelda looked up to Link, who was looking at the beast with admiration and a sense of respect. He looked back to her, a strong emotion playing out behind his eyes as he offered her a quiet response. 

“Rhoam.”

————————

Link adjusted his single handed grip on Epona’s reigns, his other hand resting limply on his leg. It throbbed painfully and a large black bruise had surfaced over the breakage point. Zelda rode a few feet in front of him on Rhoam, the afternoon sun beating down on them. Her reaction to receiving Rhoam, and hearing his name, was more than he could have hoped for. Link was slightly afraid that she’d be upset with him for naming the horse as he did, but as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and whispered the most heartfelt ‘thank you’ he had ever heard, he knew he’d made the right choice. 

Roughly another hour passed and the pair were riding up to the gateway of Kakariko. They had dismounted their horses and walked up to the archway when Zelda slowed her pace. 

She stared ahead into the village for a moment, watching two small children run by and cucco peck away at an apple core that had been left at the base of a fire. The place was terribly familiar to her, yet completely different all the same. She suddenly felt very unprepared to meet Impa and had no idea of what to expect. 

Link could sense her newfound nerves and took her hand, giving it a light squeeze. She looked up to him with worry, but after he gave her a small and encouraging smile, they continued on into the village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one was rather blahhh, but i had to get them to Kakariko. Y’all had enough drama with the last two chapters anyway lol

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to do something much more lighthearted than I usually do. I kept thinking about Link readying himself for the battle with Calamity and just couldn’t stop picturing fretting over how the Princess would feel about his *humble* abode. 
> 
> Read and review maybe? Your feedback is wanted! <3


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